Earthmoving and construction vehicles which utilize self-laying endless tracks for support and propulsion generally include one or more idler wheels for guiding and supporting the tracks. The tracks include metal connecting links, which on contact with metal tread portions of the idler wheel during the track guiding, generate noise and vibration due to the metal to metal contact of the moving components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,041 discloses an idler wheel assembly for a track-type machine having a hub member and a plurality of replaceable wear segments positioned around the circumference of the hub. Further, a plurality of U-shaped grooves provided on the circumferential surface of the hub to receive resilient means. The wear segments also fit within the grooves and hold the resilient means in place. A plurality of clamping members encircle the hub, overlap the wear segments, and clamp the resilient means between the wear segments and the grooves as they are secured to the hub. The wear segments are therefore resiliently isolated from the idler hub.